MY UNEXPECTED MARRIAGE TO THE LOVELESS CEO

Chapter 6 🍂

Lisa's pov

"I came here as soon as I read your text,"

I step into the study room where Mama is. She glances at me, then excuses her secretary. "Darling one," she utters when I lean in to kiss her on each cheek. "Well, thank you, I really need to consult you on this," she reaches up an envelope from the drawer of her desk, then flips it open.

"Is it important?" I look at her and she nods. "Very," she puts on her reading glasses and explains a bit more. "Tell me this, what do you remember about the Green Treaty I signed two years ago?"

"You have agreed for the country to be operated more greenly" I make eye contact with her as I recite what I remember from the memory. My mother listens attentively like always. "Hence abandoning and terminating any cause that could be hazardous to the country's well being,"

"Exactly," she now focuses on the content written in that piece of paper. "Along with that, the parliament - Here I quote them directly - implore for Your Majesty to consider the termination of Royal Coal Mine, operating since 1928 effective immediately due to the hazardous impacts they bring not only to local of Gwanggu town but to South Korea's environment in general,"

"The mine?" I tug my eyebrows. That particular place has been in the family for years, generating us with billions of dollars a year. And now the authority demands for us to shut it down? What a stupid request. "I say you don't reply to that," I look at my mother. Then, I inch forward. "If we agree with what they are asking, the next thing we know, they want us all out, Mama"

"But I can't be seen as someone who refuses modernisation"

My mother airs her concern. I feel suffocated out of nowhere so I do what I always do. Light up my cig. "Oh please, when are you quitting that awful habit of yours?" she snickers at the cig in my hand. I ignore her. "It helps me to calm down," I reason as I inhale the smoke. "But that's not the concern here. What I'm sure you should do is to do nothing. React nothing to the request,"

"People are going to march, Lisa"

My mother reminds me. "And when that happens, they are going to say only one thing; Be a republic," I sigh as I hear that. It's already hard enough to maintain my own popularity these days, let alone when things like this happen. The truth is, if we are to trust the news and statistics, the majority wants the ruling house out so that they can replace us with a republic.

Republic of South Korea.

God, I hope I don't need to see that happen in my lifetime. My mother pours herself a tea then sips it. I put off my cig and lit up a new one. "You actually don't really want to hear my thoughts, right?" I eye her. "You already have a say in your mind, right?" My mom is quiet. Then, she bores her eyes into mine.

"You are very quick to notice. As we are talking right now, the news has been made official everywhere. The Protector of Manoban refuses the parliament's cry - the Green Treaty is at the brink of being violated,"

I sit up straight. Another frown begins. "What?" I ask her. "What did you say?"

"A printed copy has been sent to your place," my mother dismisses me. Then, she turns her back and rings her guard. They walk into the room, ready to escort me out.

"Mama, what did you do?"

"Darling one, it's only temporary"

"Why me?"

"You have time"

My mother says. "You have time to lose your popularity. You have time to gain it back. But me? At this age, there's only one option left. Always go up" "I can't believe this," I chide, refusing for any of her guards to escort me out. I will lead myself out from this damn place. It's at the very tip of my tongue to say that Jennie is right, that this whole circus is going to fall apart soon but I reserve that judgement to myself.

Roseanne's pov

The car halts in front of the blue building and I exit it immediately. Someone kindly greets me at the door and another inside the elevator as he presses the button to the floor I'm aiming at: Level 4 Palliative Care. Exiting the metal enclosure, I thank him for the service and walk away.

It has been a year since I sent my dad to the hospice. He has a stroke, and other conditions that make it impossible for me to care without the help of professional healthcare workers. His bed is the one facing the window. I pick the spot only because he would feel less lonely in case I'm not able to visit him. At least, some random dogs astray on the street below can cheer him up.

"Hi dad," I greet him. He is awake. The nurse says he has just had his lunch. "Hey, Rosie," he smiles. I notice he has a jagged beard so I ask him about it. "They wanted to shave it but I think I look better with it," he then asks for my opinion and I tell him I don't know because I don't want to break his heart; that he actually looks sicker and awful with that beard.

"How's life?" He offers me an orange and I decline. "Is there any mini Rosie I should be informed about?" he smiles again and I decide I will help him peel his orange since he's struggling much with his weak hands.

"No, not yet" I remember the fact that Lisa and I have not been engaging in sexual activity since a month ago. Well, she's been into her mistress more than ever now that the idea of me bedding her seems nauseous.

"Did you tell her yet?" my father asks and I blink. "Tell her what?" I pass him the fully peeled orange. "That you'd want a divorce,"

"Oh"

I sigh. "Yes," my dad looks at me. "Did you tell her that?"

"I did"

"And did she grant it yet?"

"It's complicated"

I look at him. Then, I press my lips together as he nags. "You're wasting your time," he scolds. "You could have run away with your daughter. Build a new life together," he supplies and I remember the doctor telling me and Lisa that my dad's memory has worsened.

He makes his own illusion.

That's why I don't really listen to what he says.

"I tell you, Roseanne" my dad's voice brings me back from my thoughts. I study him and his jagged beard. My refusal to tell him how he looks with that beard is right, because he looks ugly with it. "I made the biggest mistake of my life when I took that loan from her,"

He starts to sniff at this point. I ignore him. "And when I wasn't able to pay back, she told me that she was going to take you as her bride because I had failed to pay and ..."

He starts to lament and I shut my eyes. "I've put you in hell for sure, Rosie" he stares at me teary - eyed. "My darling Rosie. Just divorce her, I know you'd be able to do that"

"I'd be able to do that," I nod my head. "But that also means you will be kicked out of this facility because I can't pay for your bills here since Lisa has been the one to do it,"

I clasp my hands. Then, hang my head low. "I'm just her meek little wife with no income of my own,"

"I've that money," my dad says. Again, one of his hallucinations. "It's in the house I used to bring you when you were a kid. In the garden where your mother's tombstone rests. It's there,"

"Don't be ridiculous," I glance at the watch around my wrist. "I have to go back or Lisa is going to kill me,"

"Leave her," my dad says. He tries to hold my hand but then fails.

"And do what?" I ask him. "I love her, dad. Either you like it or you hate it, I love her"

"You can't love a monster like Lisa, Roseanne"

"Well I can," I insist. "And you above all people, you don't know Lisa the way I know her. And I know she loves me. I know she does. She just doesn't like to acknowledge that aloud,"

"She's going to kill you one day" my dad says. "And you're going to say it's because she loves you,"